What is Youth Training, and Why is it Important?

Youth in the context of athletic development can be defined as athletes as young as 6 years of age to as old as 18 years of age.  This covers the time period of elementary, middle school, and high school for athletic development.  The reason why it’s important to place this time period in its own category is because the type of training differs tremendously from adult athletes.  

Youth training is important because it provides the foundation from which athletic potential can be developed.  While every athlete will not end up in the NFL, WNBA, or MLS, it is a fact that every athlete can improve their speed, strength, power, and endurance based on their own genetic makeup.  Youth training, especially beginning at the elementary level can be a crucial time period for setting the groundwork for those aforementioned athletic qualities.  

The type of training at the youth level can vary based on the athlete’s biological age and their training age (amount of years they have participated in training).  What parents want to keep in mind is that training during these years should be on a continuum, beginning with the most basic movement patterns to progressively increasing the complexity, intensity, and stimuli to help athletes continuously improve.  When young athletes participate in training programs that they are not physically ready for, they not only increase their risk of injury, but it can also lead to feelings of frustration as they will miss the opportunities to celebrate milestones of mastering basic skills.  On the other hand, athletes who begin with the basics at an early age and consistently progress their development over time have a higher chance of staying healthy, competing at a higher level, and reaching their athletic potential.

Have more questions? Contact Boost Training Systems in Corona, CA